


It's All Relative (EARTH 4-0-5)

by padme789



Category: Lovecraft Country (TV), Lovecraft Country - Matt Ruff
Genre: Alternate Realities, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fluff, Metaverse, Multi, Period Typical Attitudes, Period-Typical Racism, Post 1x10, Pulp Science Fiction, The Devil is a White Feminist, Violence, cosmic science fiction, lots more lovecraft monsters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:55:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27141409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/padme789/pseuds/padme789
Summary: Earth 4-0-5"The differences are subtle—they are drastic. They exist separately and together. For everything and nothing. It is hard to tell, who lands in the space before the other."The Braithwhite siblings are up to no good.Immortality is not, how anyone expected.
Relationships: Atticus "Tic" Freeman/Letitia "Leti" Lewis, Ruby Baptiste & Letitia "Leti" Lewis, Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite, Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite/William
Comments: 21
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to explore a more abstract idea about immortality. I also wanted to play with the idea of the metaverse and a world where our characters make different decisions. Also explore a world where Christina and Caleb existed together as siblings rather than just a gender-bent character (gender bending still happens). I am going to do my best too keep everyone in character. Christina will still be very much well Christina, only the 405 variation does not care about immortality as much as she does vengeance. This takes place from the point of view of both Ruby and Christina. More lovecraft monsters will be introduced.

"A normal human being does not want the Kingdom of Heaven: he wants life on earth to continue." -George Orwell  
  
“We all shine on...like the moon and the stars and the sun...we all shine on...come on and on and on...” - John Lennon  
  


\---  
  


Earth after earth. Do they move side by side, veer off from the other to only loop back in a collision, breaking them down—falling through the space and the stars? Neither knows where they land, but they are aware… for a moment they are aware of the world before they locked always in back one’s mind. Preparing themselves to emerge for-whatever-time will give them.  
  
This earth will stick…they hope.

The differences are subtle—they are drastic. They exist separately and together. For everything and nothing. It is hard to tell, who lands in the space before the other. Impossible to presume if either exists together or not at all. However, it can be accessed, the immortality sought by the two—both literally and figuratively, is not as either expected.  
  
\---  
  
The world feels backward—looks exactly as she remembers...does she remember? Are these her thoughts--how is she here? Aforethought or backward thinking. She knows she is herself; she has to be herself, there is no interruption. These memories—are—her own, and then she shuts her eyes, they drift off into space, a way out of reach.  
  
\---  
  
When their minds land, it is just as before, the Southside of Chicago and Ardham Massachusetts. Each holds new memories of unnatural blondes. Newly webbed pasts.  
  
Is this the true immortality she sought, and they both imagined? Why is nothing ever in a ‘simple' straight line? Only time can tell. Do you play the game the same or keep to the strategy you know?  
  
\---  
  
"Earth 4-0-5 (four oh five)" is spoken like a whisper in the wind. Therefore, barely a moment then gone faster than the light itself.  
  
She stands at the stage, guitar in hand, and microphone at the ready. Still dressed in bright jewel tones. She smiles wide, soaks in the laughter. Breathes in the brass and the sound of music. But, unlike before, she is now acutely aware of the static in the air.  
  
Magic.  
  
Of the eyes that rake her over. A pair of eyes in a set of bodies.  
  


  
  
Immortality—forever. Is not meant to pull you backward. She has no memory of entering the car, let alone allowing herself to be the passenger. She wonders who she might be, then notices the lean masculine hands that lift to her face...William...was she, him or was she, her? Her mind reeled, trying to access the truth. Then, whoever it was that sat at the driver's seat spoke.  
  
"You have been changing into that man for months, stop acting so transfixed, or I'll change my stance on this type of behavior."  
  
The voice was arrogant, the pitch of her father's, but youthful. Familial. Her brother?  
  
"Be happy I let you do this."  
  
"You 'let me' do this?" She scoffed.  
  
"Yes. I let you do this. Now you're sure she's one of the ones we will need if my plan doesn't work."  
  
She shifts her view. Eyes linger on the woman at the stage. There is a longing in her mind. It itches at her cerebellum, makes her unbalanced in a pleasant unexplainable way.  
  
The itch knows that woman, while her mind stares into the distance blankly.  
  
"If 'your' plan doesn't work. Then, yes she is one of the ones we will need."  
  


  
  
The static continues to thicken the air. The magic calls to her. It is the magic that reveals the silver sedan, but it is also magic that causes it to 'disappear' in a blink.  
  
Then without warning, she is not alone on stage. And, without a second thought, she finishes her set as a duet. She hands the guitar over. "I'll be back for that in a bit."  
  
She walks the block, her sister at her side. Their mother is briefly discussed, again? They talk of lodging, followed by incredulous sibling mockery. Silence follows as they continue their stroll, and stop at a man neither has seen in, what amounts to an awfully long time.  
  
The static stiffens through the air. She once again looks in the direction of the car.  
  
"Why on earth do you keep looking over there. Out into nothing?" Asked the sister.  
  
"I... I thought I saw something...it doesn't matter." She answered, eyes connecting with the impossibly blonde man in the passenger seat.

  
  
_Christina?..._  
  


_Ruby?..._  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it.  
> Should this be continued?  
> Feedback is always encouraged.
> 
> There might be some future editing applied, I only did one pass trying to keep voice and tone consistent.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's static in the wind. Ruby, has an urge she can't explain, and decides she needs to accompany the group on their 'little' trip to Ardham.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm using DC Multiverse logic for this story.  
> I'm hoping this will be the last chapter with a straightforward take on the show. (possibly a portion of the next as well)  
> Let me know if what’s going on with Ruby, Christina, and one other character is too obvious or too obtuse. I will do my best to describe it better or make it more mysterious.  
> This chapter might have some triggering moments, I want to keep this same level of intensity to some of the scenes.

"Or go to Marvin's...two nights, Leti. That's it."

\---

Her consciousness sparks alive while sitting at the kitchen table. For the second or was it a third time since yesterday evening something, in the back of her mind, itched. Almost like another, her, was taking over her thoughts. This spark causes Ruby Baptiste, to think—for the four hundred and fifth world everything felt a-whole-lot the same. The same could lead to more death...more repeats of senseless death. And, Ruby did not have it in her to relive more death of those she loves and cares about.

If her sister, Tic and George Freeman were going off on an adventure, she was not meant to know about. Well, she would be damned if she let them die as they had on Earth - 83. On the road barely a day out from this point and time.

She sighs, damn her older sister ways.

Ruby hurriedly packed a bag. Took a long breath, already regretting her change of heart. This subconscious need to halt this everlasting repeat, already getting to her.

She arrives at the Freeman’s home. Thank God, they had not left yet. "Leti... wait. If you’re going off to Marvin. It might be best I'm with you, it will lessen the blow...I haven't seen him for some time, anyway."

"What blow?" asked Leti, focusing on 'Woody' to pay any mind to what happening around her.

“Now Ruby, what is going on here? I thought we were going to only be traveling with one of you girls," asked George. His body still turned in focus towards his wife and daughter.

"I know, George, I know, but I can pay our way, no problem," retorts Ruby.

Hippolyta and Dee both look at each other than to George with a shrug.

"Alright, alright. Just get into the car. Before I change my mind."

\---

For the last hour or so George and Tic sat quietly at the front. Tic with his nose in a book, Leti and Ruby sat at the back. Both their heads lulled at their sides in their sleep. The radio creating a dull soft ambiance.

A sudden bump to the right rear tire and both women jolt upright. Each slightly dazed and depending on the angle, one might believe also annoyed?

"Where would you ladies like to eat," asked George. Tic smirks as his uncle speaks, knowing full well, that bump was no accident. "I'm asking because there's a diner, called Lydia's, only slightly off course from here. I need to take a look, for the guide. We could use a bite to eat," he amends.

Leti and Ruby crack at their necks, shifting their shoulders for a quick stretch. "I could use a hot meal" responded Leti as she shuffles in the back.

"Agreed," said Ruby.

George looks to Tic his body language reading as stiff, but he shrugs with no opinion. "Alright, Lydia's it is."

The spark again prickles at the back of Ruby's neck. She needs to be on high alert, but the sleep continues to weigh down her mind.

There is a slight shift to their seating, but the four travelers seem in good spirits.

Tic has one of the biggest smiles on his face, his first during this whole trip. He shoves his glasses up his nose and proceeds to flip through the customized map. "You know, if you look at Dee's atlas, around this area, I think there's a little picture of some trolls picking their teeth with unwary motorists." He lifts it to give both Leti and Ruby a better view.

They cannot help but smile at that visual description and simple drawings as they continue to sing B.B. King on the radio “Yes, you upsets me baby.” Though, their jovial voices subsided into silence as ‘woody' passes a fire station with a group of abnormally quiet firemen sitting out front. Their dogs lunging for the open windows. Ready to leap inside.

"We need to be looking for a red brick building," George speaks eyes focused on every stoplight and traffic sign, as they continue to drive—at the speed limit—to their destination.

"That one over there looks like it was once a red brick building" comments Ruby, desperate to refocus her thoughts away from the towns ‘civil-servants’. 

“That doesn’t say Lydia’s,” continues Tic. Ruby rolls her eyes.

George eyes the street signs. “It’s in the right place.” Turning into a parking spot. He turns the engine off and exits ‘woody’. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

“Books can’t refuse your service,” adds Ruby. She follows behind him, side-by-side with Leti, as they walk. Tic at the tale end.

“Or, spit in your water glass,” finishes Leti.

The younger three follow George into the dinner. Shifting their demeanor within seconds, Leti and Ruby to as demure as the two together can pull off. Tic straightened his back keeping the door open for the two before walking in himself.

Each slid into either side of the booth.

“Menu, please,” asked George. His attention trained on the leather-bound journal, set atop the countertop. “What’s good here?”

The lingering white patrons begin to scuttle out the door trying not to look in a rush. At least one tries their best not to touch the handle on his way out. None can hide their hurried-worried-glances towards the ‘poor waiter boy’ who stands stunned behind the counter, quickly setting down some menus.

“Looks like ‘Simmonsville Dinette’ won’t be making the guide.” Leti glances at her food choices.

Hands tense on the table, not from fear, but defiance “We’re here damnit, and we have every right to be.” George grips at his journal. “We are citizens, you’re a veteran for God’s sake. Our, money is just as good as theirs.”

Sensing George’s quick switch in conduct— “I’m going to use the Ladies room.” Leti removed her purse from the tabletop and walks off towards the back.

Ruby continued her look-around. The place was clean, all your typical dinner décor, a light-up clock in a convenient spot. Then again, these walls were far too white, had just been painted? Abruptly, the spark begins to flare again. Memories cross her mind. Although not her own, of a recapped story, told to her about another place called ‘Simmonsville Dinette’. Something she is unable to explain is willing her, hoping her and the others make it from the place unscathed. Not like the others…

There is an unexpected and unsettling stillness to this place, meant not just to be bright, but also alive.

“Uncle George? Remind me why the White House is white,” asks Tic?

He begins, “The War of 1812. British soldiers put the executive branch to torch, and later when the slaves rebuilt it, they had to paint the wall white to cover up the—”

“Burn marks,” finished Ruby her shoe flat shifts a linoleum tile, revealing a scorched floor. Ruby, Tic, and George looked at one another. Their understanding beginning to grow, as a siren starts in the distance.

From nowhere, Leti rushes towards the three, purse in hand, as her life depends on it. “We gotta get the fuck outta here. Now!” She pulled the door rushing to ‘woody’ she lunges to the driver seat starting the car.

Ruby turns quick, pushing the door wide. Three long strides and she has the back door to ‘woody’ open. Tic is ushering his uncle out of the building with a shove. George grabs hold of the front passenger door. Tic leaps into the back, he takes a quick count of three heads, then shuts the door.

Leti lead-foot on the gas speeds through traffic lights and signs. A truck filled with three possibly four men barrels down the streets from behind. Ruby looks out the back window, as Tic begins to rummage through his bag pulling out a gun. She looks at him, says nothing.

There is unintelligible yelling coming from the truck.

Soon, Leti has them pass the fire station as it opens its garage door. The truck ready for some ‘accidental arsine’. Leti swings the steering wheel taking a sharp left turn. The truck rearing towards ‘woody’ the firetruck not far behind. Ruby looks to her sister, to George, then Tic.

“Damnit girl, you’re going to crash us!” yells George.

“Her—my name’s not girl,” yelled out both Leti and Ruby. With Leti finishing, “its’s Letisha fucking Lewis.”

Ruby turns her attention to the rearview mirror. She’s aware of their surroundings as they pass through a back ally… Ruby even hears one of them say, “the main road is just up ahead!” Nevertheless, she keeps her focus on the review mirror. She watches as the alleyway becomes more-and-more impossibly narrow; the black truck barely makes it through. The firetruck, on the other hand, is stuck, it is unable to move. Ruby quickly turns to the back window. Did she just? No, she could not have. No one can shift the world around them at their while.

They can not be so lucky, that magic could exist.

‘Woody’ continues along the main road. Now surrounded by fields, lead-foot still on the accelerator, Leti speeds like a bat-out-a-hell. The sun blinks, another field passes, then the sun blinks again. Something new has begun to follow them. It’s closing in faster… and faster…

“Leti…” was that Tic?

“I see it,” Leti answers.

Ruby is shaken from her thoughts, she notices a car, a remarkably familiar car. It has to be what both Tic and Leti are referring to, a silver blur driving along the side road at a distance in the fields.

A silver blur that continues down its ride coming in faster-and-faster, Leti pushes on the gas. The silver car, a Rolls-Royce places itself between ‘woody’ and the black truck. Air abruptly becomes thick; the static shock is everywhere. It stands the hairs at Ruby’s neck up, causes her to look at Tic.

Then the car turns to its left, a wave of unseen force breaks away from the silver sedan, and the black truck flies feet into the air flipping before landing on top of its hood.

Leti lets off the accelerator, she takes a breath looking behind her in the direction of everyone else, and they watch.

The four occupants of ‘woody’ watch as a woman with otherworldly blonde hair exits the driver’s seat. Followed soon by a slightly taller man with similar features exits at the passengers’ side. They look on, the woman with an unexplainable twinkle to her eye.

“Christina...”

Tic pulls his attention from the sudden unexplainable crash, his eyes dead-on Ruby. “Who?”

Ruby watched as the too figures who exited the Rolls-Royce began to evaporate into the road with heat rays of the sun. “Oh, nothing…” she continued absent-mindedly, “she looked familiar…” Ruby shifts back, her attention at the back of her sister’s head as the group continues to speed down the road in the direction of her older brother’s house.

Static strums through the air. Thick and unyielding.

She stood in the wreckage unscathed, watching ‘woody' continuing its speedy descent. Her stare never wavers, eyes maintaining their connection with both Ruby and Tic. She knows, she can feel her watching.

Smoke from the crunched truck begins to billow. The smallest of fires beginning to start. There is an unexpected crack of glass as what is left of a stable hood snaps down, causing the faintest of cries to escape one of the men who survived. Then—

“Are you mad, woman! They will never trust us now! Observe from a distance, no interaction!”

Christina’s entire body swerves to Caleb, a dramatic fashion. She is lucky her hat is pinned to her scalp. “Be very careful with what you say next… Brother… your starting to sound like Father. You might be the ‘real man’ between the two of us—"

“And what does that have to do with this.” He waved his hands at the wreckage.

“Those imbecilic Neanderthals could have killed them, and then where would we be.” She stated eyes intense and expressive. “If you are so concerned with how this looks,” Christina waves her hands haphazardly in multiple directions, “too… oh I don’t know… No-one, go right ahead and complain.”

Caleb puffed his lips, placing his hands in his pockets. “What do we do about the bodies then…”

With a roll of her eyes, she would never understand how he was the favorite… a man of no true ambitions—impatience is what has gotten them into the predicament they are in now. It is that impatience that has Christina scheme not only behind her father’s back but her brother’s as well.

“Send someone out, and have them fed to your pets.”

\---

The visit at Marvin’s goes about as well as Ruby had expected. There is a discussion of how the neighboring townships were created. She could not remember which is referenced as a town founded by Witch Hunters. _“Of all the ridiculous white-man roles… it had to be witch hunters,”_ Ruby thinks to herself. She is sitting at the dining table, arms folded watching her older brother and half-sister stalk each other in a circle. Yelling about money because it is always money when it involves Leti. She cannot be mad at Leti for what she did with the money if in the same situation she might have done the same. But Then Again this is how it always happens.

Ruby sighs. “You, two are more than welcome to continue this,” she motions with her hands, “go right ahead. I however am going to sleep. I will see you in the morning.” She rose from her chair. “It was good seeing you, Marvin.” She walks over to her brother and kissing him good night on the cheek.

\---

Being lost was the least of their troubles today. One’s luck in this country can only last for so long before it runs out and must slowly replenish itself for another day.

Leti, Ruby, George, and Tic currently lay atop the leave covered grass. Shotguns aimed at their backs, as so-called sheriffs and lawmen. The men continue to talk, but the group isn’t listening anymore because off in the distance there are high-pitched gurgles, laughs like hyenas.

“Keep your guns on them.” Instructs the sheriff. “It’s probably just wolves.”

“That does not sound like fucking wolves, sheriff,” retorts a lawman.

Footsteps, a tree trunk crunches, and a creature leaps into a lawman. A gurgling roar as it rips the man in half.

“Run!” Leti and Ruby are at their feet, Tic at their rear, losing sight of George.

Havoc ensues, men are screaming, Ruby and Leti are screaming, everyone even the creatures are screaming. Guns are firing and mussels are flashing. Then suddenly a quick flash, a slight breeze, there is are gurgling sound and then another lawman is gone.

They continue their descent through the forest. Tic holding tight to Leti’s arm, and Leti with a death grip around Ruby’s wrist. Each slip down a ravine as Tic points out a single secluded cabin. “Over there, we need to get out of the open.” Tree limbs whip across their faces. Almost there they can see it, then another lawman appears gun at the ready prepared to shoot at the three of them. Another shriek at one of those creatures leaps down from the treetops, it rips at the lawman leaving only his legs before they fall to the ground.

The creature stands silent. There is a static in the air. It looks different, but only slightly it blinks creating a wet sound that sends shivers down Ruby, Leti, and Tic’s spines. It attacks none of them simply leaps back into the trees leaving a clear path to the shack for the three of them.

They run because their lives depend on it.

Once inside, Tic finally turns around to process their surroundings. “Wait! Where is Uncle George?!”

“Tic! Get in here!” screams Leti. Ruby slams the door behind him.

George lays on his stomach face in the dirt and grim. He blinks coming face-to-face with one of the lawmen’s flashlights. Screams of the carnage all around him.

“The light.” A tall lean man, with piercing blue eyes, takes the flashlight from the dismembered arm, tosses it over to George. “They don’t know you’re sent. So, you will need to use the light.” With that, the man molds back into the shadows leaving George to defend himself.

Ruby, Tic, and Leti stand in the middle of the shack, willing for one of them, any one of them to say something, suggest what do. Then they hear the footsteps. Leti and Tic leap for the door bracing it as the handle shakes. “Open the fucking door!” They look at one another in unspoken silence, none of them budge. The door shakes again. “I said, open the fucking door!”

There is a shotgun blast. Leti and Tic leap in either direction. Ruby ducks, she swears she feels the breeze from the buckshot speed past her head, making not only a large hole in the door but rip apart the opposite wall. The sheriff and one of his men drag themselves into the room. Shotguns at the ready. “Close the fucking door!” Ruby, Tic, and Leti just look at him dumbfounded. He cocks the gun. “Close the fucking door!” his voice is off to gruff…robotic.

They rush to barrack the door. That is when they see it… hear it… someone is coming light in hand being swung back and forth.

“Uncle George? Uncle George!” Tic looks at the sheriff and his deputy, he shoves aside the table and opens the door. Tic rushes out followed by Ruby. Both bring him inside. “Uncle George are you alright? Uncle George?”

George nods, pushing both Ruby and Tic lightly to the side flashlight still in hand he walks into the middle of the shack. “”

“Listen to’um, ‘children of the night… what music they make’” recited George, looking on high, lost in his literature.

“What the fuck did he just say?!” growls the sheriff starting to look worse-for-wear. A hunch to his step now. His bleeding shoulder beginning to sag.

“Dracula, he’s quoting Dracula,” answers Tic.

Ruby’s mind reeled, as the stack began to twitch at her again. Leti… Tic… even Christina played this encounter close to the chest. No explanation from any could have prepared her for what she would witness tonight.

“It’s the light. They don’t like the light.” George continued. “It's why we never saw them during the day.” He walks to Ruby, Leti, and Tic. “They’re just like vampires.”

Ruby looks about the room, her mind racing… what can she do… came here with them to make sure they stayed alive, and now she needed to stay alive with them. “‘Woody’” everyone even the lawmen look at her in confusion. “If a flashlight worked for you George. What about ‘woody’s’ headlights?”

He perked up. “Of course! Yes, thank you, Ruby!”

“I’ll go,” proclaims Tic stoically.

“Not, on your life. You’re too smart. You’ll only just slip away from here and leave us behind.” The sheriff growls again. He continues to look worse for wear. His skin is gaunt slowly becoming discolored, he has lost far too much blood. To be capable of anything, at this point-in-time. “No, she goes.”

Leti looks at the man. Then at all the eyes on her. “It’s alright Tic, I did track and field in school, and I was one of the best. I’ll be fine. I know, I can do it.” She takes a breath and exits the shack.

“You better hope she can make it. For your sakes.” George holds back Tic, who glowers. The blood on his face beginning to dry.

“You, better stop, where you start before start talking about my sister, like that.” Ruby retorts, she glares at the sheriff willing or attempting to anyway get whatever power helped her the other day to come back.

She runs for her life. Not once looking back, she does take a second to glance up as one of the creatures falls from the trees. A flash of the creature from early can be seen from above, it continues to clear a path for Leti helping her reach ‘woody’.

The sheriff began to grunt. His breathing erratic. His face began to shift, he hutched to his side. His skull detaching from itself from underneath his skin.

“Boys…” said Ruby. Tic and George continued to talk amongst themselves. “Boys!”

Tic, about to yell at Ruby for breaking their planning follows her eyes. He sees the sheriff as he continues to moan. His deputy’s attention now on him as well. Tic began to slowly back away having pulled Ruby to his and George's side. “Shoot him!” Nothing the Deputy just continues to hold his shotgun in the direction of the sheriff but lowered. “Come on damnit, shoot him!”

“Now just you wait a—” the deputy’s throat and shoulder ripped to shreds. He was gone. The sheriff turned his attention back to the blood-soaked three, now completely devoid of his feature, resembling one of the creatures now. He leaped at them with a shriek.

Nothing came. ‘Woody’ came barreling through the wooden wall of the shack crushing the sheriff. Leti unhooked the front door and rolled out of the seat headlights still on. “Hurry, get into the light!”

The four travel companions rushed their exhausted limbs to the bright lights of ‘woody’s’ headlamps, bracing themselves for what was to come. 

The door opens before any can raise a hand to knock. A tall man with impossibly blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, looks on the four tired souls covered from head to toe with blood. His suit perfect.

“My sister and I have been expecting you, Mr. Freeman. Welcome home.” Caleb smiles an unnatural smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought to myself, what might happen if Ruby came along, but also what might happen if Ruby had come along with some type of connection to Christina/William and magic.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group does not know how to take all this odd hospitality, and the Braithwhite siblings introduce themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry for the delay real life has been crazy with physical therapy and doctor visits. Also, I’ve been finding creative ways not to use Christina’s name in a future chapter because that’s my sister’s name and certain points are getting a little weird writing, lol.
> 
> Alexander Ludwig is who I’m picturing as Caleb  
> Adventuring 101 NEVER break the party *evil laughter*
> 
> I’ve basically split Christina’s motivations…she’s still selfish takes advantage of people, Ruby is mostly the same just aware of magic and so on.  
> Christina/Williams transformation could be slightly different in the future (I haven’t decided) so it’s safe to assume that this world’s Christina has her change with William even more streamlined aka she can move from her self to him and back much quicker.
> 
> I’m currently reading the book and might incorporate more than Caleb 
> 
> Events from Ep 2 are relatively the same, but switched around slightly and extended upon…with new events as well. Basically, I think I’ve extended their stay by a few hours.

“To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.”- Nicolaus Copernicus

\---

There is a dull commotion of heavy footsteps and clanking of furniture from the surrounding rooms. She swears there’s even the slightest pitter-patter of dancing coming from the adjoining rooms. It would take a lot for Ruby to admit or even acknowledge that Tic might be experiencing something of similar anguish, but here she was sitting atop her bedrooms bench. Her leg began to tap the floor of its own accord, Ruby grips her knee to slow the pace only letting go when she is convinced it will stay still.

Magic was evolved, there was no question, but how? The air, the environment in general always seemed to change in some way shape, or form. Why was she the only one who acknowledged this? Was she the only one who even noticed? Ruby rose suddenly finally giving in to the paranoia.

She paces. Ruby swats at the back of her neck. It was stronger this time, whatever ‘this’ was. There is a lingering dull throb. A twitching itch like the beginning of a mosquito bite.

The air was so thick, flowing with a static charge. Last night, the strongest, she felt during their road trip. She looks in the direction of the sun it pours through the floor to ceiling windows. Whatever took place had abruptly stopped at the sound of sirens. The chaos slowed when George came into possession of a flashlight. Even when Leti rammed, ’woody' into that small shack. Everything had just suddenly stopped, but what? That is the hole in her memory that causes her distress.

“Of course there was this morning…” Ruby blurts her mind, no longer able to keep her thoughts to herself.

“William…”

The name rolled off her tongue slow—methodical. A name she knew well, attached to a man who lingers in her recent dreams. Someone she knows she has never met, and yet here she is with the others, in a place has never been. But knows all the same.

She needs to find William, she has questions, somehow, she knows he will have the answers.

Ruby turns for the door, hand on the brass handle. She looks down still covered in blood. Sighing she concedes and turns her attention to the wardrobe. Conveniently filled with not only her size of clothes but her style. She chooses a printed dress with colors of blue, greens, and purple.

She moves her attention to her hair when a siren-like chime begins to echo throughout the house.

The adjoining rooms' doors swing open, she might as well join the others before looking for William.

Opening her door Ruby shoves her head out into the doorway. Noticing Leti, Tic, and George congregating in a small huddle out in the hall. She straightens herself, grabs the corners of her dress, and smooths out the creases.

“Looks like Ruby found herself a new dress, too,” states George. Still trying his best to ignore the loud alarm from overhead.

Tic looks at Ruby, the same dumbfounded look as he gives Leti. “Does that dress fit you, like a glove, too?”

“As a mater-oh-fact it does, is that a problem?” Ruby eyes Tic closely hands on her hips. She can see he too has been trying to process the night from before. Unable to accept the idea that magic might be involved, written all over his face.

A throat clears.

Standing before them is William. His blonder-than-blonde hair slicked back. His jacket is dark indigo almost black, not the heavy navy Ruby is used to seeing him in. The woman’s scarf tied neatly and tucked away to resemble, and ascot also has a slight color change to it. Instead accompanying the dark blues, black, and cream colors are the slightest hints of fuchsia and simple traces of seafoam green and a solid burgundy. Bright blue eyes looking as if they are staring into everyone’s souls. Ruby cannot help but wonder if the Christina of Earth five-oh-four has a slightly different color palette of choice also. “Mr. Freeman, the Elder Mr. Freeman, Miss Lewis, and Miss Baptiste.” “I’m glad, you were all able to freshen up before the chime of the—lunch bell—if you would allow me to escort you to the veranda.”

“William, is it?” Tic tersely huffs.

“That is correct,” answers William completely unfazed. “I was not sure if you would have remembered…” He eyes George, Leti, and then Ruby keeping a longer contact with her. “You were all, a bit out of sorts when you arrived this morning.”

“When’s my father expected to return,” asks Tic bringing William’s attention back to him. “From Boston?”

William sighs, hands resting at his back as he bobs from the balls of his feet to the heels. “I am afraid, I already told you everything” He gives a needless pause. “That I have been made privy to.” Eyes drifting to the ceiling to ‘think’. How had none of the other’s picked on this act, or perhaps they had and thought it better to not say a thing, pondered Ruby. “He left to see the lawyer with both Mr. Braithwhite and Miss Braithwhite two nights ago. Neither sibling gave any indication on when they would return.”

“But, we were expected?” questions Ruby unable to stop her curiosity.

He looks to George and Leti once more, only to linger on Ruby for a few seconds too long. Then turning his attention back to Tic. “Miss Braithwhite made it very clear that I was to look out for you, treat you like family while you wait.”

William begins to walk the halls, his long strides accommodating never moving too far ahead of the others as they walk past dark biblical paintings.

“What hotel might they be at in Boston? I want to call and check-in,” requests Tic. He looks down to the floor of the lodge as the group continues to walk the long steep staircase. They reach the end walking towards the opened Fourier of the home, stopping at the hand-carved banister.

“I’m afraid, sadly that would be impossible.” William looks forlorn at least he tries to. There is a definite eye-rolling to his tone. “Upon inheriting the land, Samuel Braithwhite decided to construct his summer home, and never installed telephone lines, so as not to be disturbed by the business that hounds him and his son most of the year.” If air quotes existed many words in William’s speech would have been rapped within them.

“And what business does he have with my father?” asks Tic. It was a good question, Ruby had to admit.

“I don’t know, and it would not be my place to say,” answers William with a too sad expression.

“Is that him, the Samuel Braithwhite, you’ve been speaking of?” George’s haphazard attempt to turn the subject. Eyeing the large painting.

“Him?” William looks at the large portrait. “Oh no, but he is a distant cousin. Ardham’s founder, the original owner of the lodge, Titus Braithwhite.” Again, William is too exuberant with his speech, Ruby notes. He practiced this in front of the mirror. “He built this retreat, so he and his fellow lodge members could dine in private.” He looks one last time in the direction of the oil painting. “He was quite an extraordinary man.”

“He must’ve been to build a home like this,” Leti inserts.

“How did he come about his fortune?” questions George.

“Shipping,” William responds not even paying attention anymore.

Leti tips herself forward her mouth within earshot of both Ruby and George. “That’s code for slaves.”

She is answered with a resounding yet hushed, “mmhmm,” from both Ruby and George as they eye William’s blasé attitude towards that tidbit of information.

“Titus was known to be ‘notoriously kind’ to those who worked for him.” He began his walk again followed closely behind by the others. “Many mourned after the great fire.”

“There was a fire?” George’s attention perked once more.

“What we are standing in is a replica of the original lodge, which burned down during the autumnal equinox.” William stops turning his attention to the others. “Eighteen thirty-three.” He enunciates just a bit too much. “It was an unfortunate accident that killed Titus and everyone else inside.” He looks to Tic, now. “Well, almost everyone.”

Finally, outside after what felt to Ruby and no doubt the others the longest walk any of them had ever taken inside a house. The group makes their way to the iron table. A tree overhangs providing an adequate amount of shad. There is an iron banister separating them from the plant wall overhangs. If this whole situation were not so unsettling, the view everyone had a chance to observe would be beautiful.

“Mr. Braithwhite Senior has called a gathering of lodge members who are expected to arrive for a celebratory dinner.” William clicks his heals together a bit of a jump to his step now, hands busy helping Ruby into her seat, as well as Leti. “Until then, you have the run of the lodge.”

“After lunch, we would like to take a walk around the village,” Tic speaks with a mater-oh-fact. “That won’t be a problem will it?”

“No, as long as you return in time for dinner.” William's hands are at his back once again after having lingered on the back of Ruby’s chair for a tad longer than needed. His thumbs lightly touching both her scapula. “Now if you need anything else, anything at all just ring the bell, and the butler will come running.” William indicates to the silver bell sitting on the table.

“I thought you were the butler.” Leti unexpectedly states. Ruby wants to clock her for being rude but then keeps to herself. It is undoubtedly best everyone only thinks Tic is losing his cool.

“No—no I’m just a close personal friend to Christina Braithwhite.” William smiles.

Ruby coughs at that explanation, all eyes train on her as she tries desperately to find something interesting in their surroundings to look at.

“Does that silver Bentley out front belong to Miss Braithwhite?” Tic a pout to his question.

William and his piercing blue eyes look deep into Tic. “Rolls-Royce, you mean, and yes—she has many cars—that her brother tends to think belong to him, as well.” There is a curt tone in his last statement. An irritation only one can have towards a sibling. It seems Ruby is the only one to notice, that quick shift.

Apparently, this Christina, has a hard time maintaining her composure whenever her brother is brought into the conversion. Especially when brought in by her. Ruby notes this to herself for later, or whenever necessary.

William walks off back in the direction of the house. His usual casual swagger to his step. “If they only knew,” thinks Ruby. She like Leti looks at the assortment of food sped across the table. She grabs her spoon, as Leti takes a nice long drink from her crystal glass. Ruby can hear Tic and George muttering amongst themselves, rightfully so, nonetheless she like Leti was going to be taking advantage of this hospitality for as long as they had it. After all none of them had, had a decent meal since their short trip to Marvin’s.

Leti took hold of the silver dinner bell and began to shake. Tic’s eyes bulged in shock as George simply began to think. “What?” Leti set the bell down. “I need salt. You know white folks don’t be seasoning their food.”

“Amen, to that,” Ruby agrees she pats her napkin into her lap and looks down at what looks to be some time of yellow squash soup.

A butler holding a tray with a set of salt and pepper appears at the side of, Ruby and Leti, both women choosing to not acknowledge Tic’s soon-to-be rant.

“What’s wrong with you—both of you?” Tic begins to wave his hands chaotically “First you parade around here like you on the—”

“—Tic. Tic” George attempts to intervene having noticed a figure looming in the nearby open door.

Leti takes the silver salt and pepper. “Thank you.” She smiles at the man, handing one to Ruby before switching off with her shortly after. They place each shaker close to the middle.

“How can you even eat after what happened last night?” askes Tic hands in a death-grip holding the back of a chair, leaning towards the duo. So, he does remember something, maybe he is aware of magic after all.

Slightly taken aback Leti begins to defend herself, “Because I…”

There is a sudden thickness to the air. Ruby feels the prickling at the back of her neck as she watches her sister’s explanation of the night before exit from her mind like billowing smoke.

Silence.

“I… Don’t remember what happened,” Leti finishes.

George too begins to think of the events from the night before only to have them exit his mind like pillowing smoke evaporating into thin air. Ruby on the other hand contemplates whether indulging Tic and admitting that she too can at least remember the events from the night before. Her memory more like swiss cheese. Blurry figures and empty spots take over the points in time when they interacted with those creatures.

“You, serious? Leti we were attacked.” He looks from confused face to confused face. Tic wants to scream. “Leti was attacked.” The faces do not change, only to stoke the flames of his building erratic behavior. “By monsters.”

“What monsters?” she asks him genuinely confused.

Ruby sits in silence mentally begging for Tic to calm down. This was doing none of them any good.

“Eight-foot-tall beasts with razor-sharp teeth that can bite a man’s head off.” Still no recollection. “Come on now, they had us surrounded in the cabin in the woods.” His hands were shaking he needed to hold something. “Then there was this dog whistle that called them off.” Leti continues to stare mouth slowly shifting open. “No—well no not a dog… these creatures they weren’t dogs.” He pauses. “Oh, come on Leti, you gotta remember you left me, Ruby, and Uncle George to go find ‘woody’ so we could use its headlights.” Still nothing. “Then you crashed into the shack right after I shot the sheriff.”

“You shot the sheriff?!” Leti looks slightly taken-a-back and a bit terrified.

He is leaning over the table now barely missing the food as he continues to desperately get Ruby, Leti, and George to believe him. “Uncle George, remember—”

“We’re being watch.” George states. “Sit down. They’ve been treating us real nice right now, and we don’t want to give them a reason to do otherwise.”

Still flustered, but not ready to go against his Uncle anymore than he already has. Tic sits down and begins to fix his meal along with everyone else.

Silence.

“Is this a bad time?” asked a feminine voice. Christina begins to saunter over to the group from her perched position in the shadows. She is wearing a silk blouse, a large silver and obsidian necklace around her neck, with a pair of well-pressed charcoal black slacks and high heels. She ignores the stares and looks as she takes the empty spot between Ruby and George.

Christina smiles, and the others just stare. She continues to ignore their ludicrous expressions. “May I?” she motions to the salt and pepper. Leti attempts to hand them forward, however, Ruby beats her to it, placing the silver shakers in front of the bowl of soup. She smiles at Ruby, “Thank you.”

Tic wants to explode.

Ruby swears she sees a sparkle in Christina’s eye. Apparently, this one loves playing with fire too.

“I do hope William has been treating you with the utmost respect. I insisted he does, after all.” She eyes the food spread and motions to the bread. “You don’t mind, do you?” George shakes his head lifting the bowl allowing for Christina to give a good once over to the rolls.

Tic rips a bite out of his food. He quickly chews with his mouth closed and states, “William said you weren’t going to be back so soon.”

“Ah, yes. Well, I was able to convince my brother, being here was more important. So, here we are.” Christina smiles again. “I do hope the food is to your liking, this was the scheduled meal for the day.”

“Scheduled meal?” Leti just cannot help herself.

Ruby is about to scold her, but Christina simply waves it away. She continues to eat prompting others to do the same. If she can sense the lingering anxiety, Christina never admits it. After a moment the group continues to eat making ideal chit-chat.

A young boy about nine possibly ten years in age rushes the back-stone steps. Two sometimes three at a time, before stopping in front of the table. Forks in the air Leti’s practically in her mouth. The two of the sitting women watch as the boy addresses Christina in a rush. “Miss Braithwaite, Miss Braithwaite! It’s time!”

Christina’s change in demeanor is instantaneous, she looks concerned—possibly even—confused? She thinks a moment, responding, “Now?”

The boy nodded vigorously.

“How… the light?” continued Christina. There is still the faintest sign of confusion along her brow.

“It’s been inside the barn. Ma’am'” the boy continues.

“The barn? Right,” Christina sets her utensils in their proper positions. Same with her napkin. “Would you ladies care to join me?” She is ready to push away from the table. “I don’t believe your male companions, are aware you’re still here.”

Ruby and Leti look to each other, then Tic and George. If either man heard the tail end of this conversation, neither acknowledges, to engage in their mildly hushed conversation about Montrose.

It is at this moment when Caleb decides to join the small group. “What’s this I hear about going into the village?” He smiled, his cold blue eyes looking from Ruby and Leti to Tic then George. He kept his focus on the men sitting. No one not even Caleb, noticed the glare crossing Christina’s face. Well, everyone, but Ruby, who did her best to pretend she had not seen the exchange.

“Did William, tell you?” asks Tic his lids hiding his eyes in skepticism.

“Yes, William,” Caleb laughs, eyeing Christina. “Dear—dear William… I’m sure we could find him. So that your ‘adventure’ could happen much smoother.” Snobbish laugh.

She cleared her throat.

“Yes, well…” Christina clears her throat motioning to the boy.

The child still alert, shifted from foot to foot, obviously trying to contain his urgency.

“Unfortunately, brother, I am needed at the barn, so you will have to search for William…” Christina eyed Caleb, two can play this game. “Or… or, and this is only an idea—you could take our cousin and guests on a tour of the village if they so choose?” She looks to Ruby and Leti. “That is if Miss Baptiste and Miss Lewis do not want to accompany me instead?”

“Go with you?” asks Leti.

“Really Leti, she was in the middle after asking if we wanted to join, just a second ago.” Ruby has already begun setting her silverware in their proper positions.

“What? Right, what do you say Tic?” George seems okay with this turn of events. Christina having done nothing to cause any worry, at least on his end.

“I…um…” Tic simply states, thrown off guard.

“There is no need to worry, Tic I’ll bring Ruby and Leti to you both when we’ve finished, not a scratch on either one, scouts honor.” Christina smiles tongue clicking the roof of her mouth.

“If it’s not going to be too long, I don’t see why Leti and Ruby can’t join Miss Braithwhite for a little while,” conceded George. His hand close to Tic's chest ready to defuse whatever might start.

Tic drops his fork on his plate and with both hands on his chair pushes himself from the table. “I guess if it's only for a little while.” He looked at Caleb. “Ready when you are.”

The men leave their spots, utensils set to the side. Caleb looks back in their direction smug look on his face directed to Christina. “Alright then—we should make our way to the barn as quickly as possible.” She begins to beam. Ruby cannot remember a time when her Christina looked that elated for anything, in her life. What was it in this one’s life that caused such a dramatic change? There is a pause in Christina’s step. “I’m sorry, In my excitement, I didn’t wait for your answers.” Ruby and Leti look at her uncertainty across their faces. “Well, Tic, George, and even my brother answered for you. The two of you never did say what it was you wished to do.”

Ruby and Leti look back and for to the other. “Yes well… We have nothing better to do,” answers Ruby.

Leti gives pause. “Your, right, and you said you’d bring us back to them in one piece. I guess seeing what secrets, you have in your barn should be fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This section has been split into 3 parts. If not it would have become ridiculously long.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby begins to break free of her distorted glass brick wall. Will she see the truth or is this just the start of new, familiar journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any questions about how Ruby and Christina are time traveling will be resolved very soon, at least from their perspectives. Also, I can’t remember the family removal length between Atticus and Christina, so, for this story the Braithwhites use Atticus because Samuel doesn’t want to destroy ‘his’ family’s part of the family line.
> 
> Here is when we are going to start deviating from the show, most core plot points will be the same, but there will be added scenarios or completely different shifts.
> 
> Explanations in story for creatures will start to happen now, with more in-depth understandings later…but the shoggoth in here are more like an evolved/experimented on form of the shoggoth from Lovecraft lore. Basically, Titus got his hands on a slightly unaltered shoggoth, during an “adventure”  
> -at their core they are ‘shapeshifting flesh bags’ and during the modern era are found in Antarctica.
> 
> So much of my Lovecraft knowledge revolves most around D&D, Pathfinder, and what I can remember from reading a little bit of Lovecraft years ago, so you might have to bear with me a bit when I try to make sense of the magic.
> 
> This is the longest chapter to date, let me know if its to long and I will do my best to space out the story better in the future.

A man, a possible farmhand, rushes to Christina’s side. “You wanted us to let you know when there was a breach.” He eyes Ruby and Leti with caution. Knowing better he holds his tongue, unlike her father and brother, Miss Braithwhite does not tolerate any intolerant behavior around her.

She is in too much of a hurry to vocalize her thoughts to the man, however, she notes he kept his mouth shut. Her heeled strides becoming longer causing a larger distance between herself and her companions. She slows ever-so-slightly to allow Ruby and Leti to reach her.

Ruby again notices an uncharacteristic level of glee across her face.

The group makes it to the door, the man takes hold of the handle and slowly begins to slide it open allowing for Christina with Ruby and Leti to enter the barn.

The air is stalky, very little flow in the barn because every door and window is locked tight. A cow lay atop a bed of hay, barely lit by the overhanging lights. The static in the area ran rampant bouncing off the walls.

Ruby could feel, and she could see Christina felt it too. Magic was everywhere.

Christina fell to her knees. She unbuttons her silk shirt and rolls up the sleeves.

The cow, Ruby and Leti notice, is rather large and very pregnant. The two sisters creep up slowly behind to look at what she is about to do but also keep themselves shielded from the curious and judging eyes.

The cow lets out another sound, it is ready. A redheaded woman, her hair tied back hidden mostly by a bandana, calmly runs a hand along with the cow’s head. There are at least two other men knees in the hay at the ready to help if need be.

Christina plunges forward, each arm elbow-deep, inside the cow’s uterus. She bites her lip then looks towards the ceiling making brief eye-to-eye contact with Ruby. She suddenly digs deeper.

As the redhead can be heard in the background saying, “pull harder!”

There are more wet and liquid noises coming from Christina’s actions. Ruby watches on more fascinated than she would like to admit, grimacing at the sounds. Leti does the same, with more of a look of bewilderment.

The sounds continue only to end with a half hazard pop.

Christina caresses the grayish creature covered in slime. Her eyes light up with care as she looks on to the creature with pride.

All Ruby can make out is a blur, again convinced magic is at play here, and Leti she watches with curiosity. Possibly fill in the blurry magic holes with explanations of the tiny being too covered to be seen well, and so on.

“Miss Braithwhite, haven’t you done this before?” asks the man from before.

Christina continues looking at the creature hugging it. She glances at the man, smile on her face, shielding it from the light. “No, this is my first time.”

Not much time has passed, fifteen maybe twenty minutes. Ruby, Christina, and Leti are the only ones still in the barn. That is not without the obvious protests from the redhead. Vocal protests which caused the hairs on Ruby’s neck to stand. Behavior Ruby noted to ask about later… if given chance to be alone with Christina or maybe William.

Christina was resting against the wooden planks of the barn. She is still holding, what looks to Ruby and Leti to be an abnormal lard slug. Something that does not make a lick of sense, but the second either try to question what they are looking at the question becomes lost.

Ruby was about to ask if they should find Tic, George, and her brother when Christina begins to suddenly talk.

“Did you know that this beautiful creature was originally derived from those mindless guard dogs my brother ‘created’?” She looks at the blob then runs her index finger along its back. “So many possibilities lost because all they ever see are workers.” The softest of noises escape where its mouth must be. “I’ll prove them wrong. You’ll see—. Listen to me, of course, you don’t know what I’m talking about. We only just met hours ago.”

Christina rises from her position she walks over to a small bed of hay set to the side close to the cow who now stands upright in a small stall. She sets the creature on that bed of hay and runs a finger along its crest one last time. She turns to Ruby and Leti. “You two don’t want to hear about my grievances with my younger brother.” Hand on the rusty handle she begins to slowly slide the door open.

Leti then Ruby step though. Christina gives one last look to the creature and the cow before shutting the door behind them.

“Little brother, huh?” It was Leti who spoke.

Christina smiles at the other woman like she just revealed a deep dark secret. “Yes, little brother, but don’t let him hear I told you. He’d be furious and deny it in every way he could.” She smiles. “You have to let me be present when you tell him.”

The three continue to talk with ease. Even laughing here and there as Christina escorts the two through the village in the direction of a very loud argument between two men.

\---

Ruby watches Tic and Leti then Tic and George, all the while keeping an eye on Christina’s actions. Who stands quiet watching and waiting? Not waiting for a moment to attack, like the other white men, women, and children who walk past and gauche. No, the outrageously tall, white-blonde, woman with icy-blue eyes, simply waits because ‘that is the polite thing to do’.

“This isn’t shell-shock!” Tic spouts. “I know what I saw last night! I know… I know—”

“Hold on, hold on. We’re just worried about you. That’s all. What you continue to say happened…” George lets out a sigh. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“You know what else doesn’t?” Tic’s voice growing. “A bookshelf, with all your favorite books.” His stare is on George. “Hmm? A wardrobe fool of clothes in Leti—Ruby’s exact size.” Tic’s anger begins to get the better of him. “Can you ex—" he sees Christina standing silent out of the corner of his eye, stopping himself.

Christina says nothing to dissuade, the conversation, she does not antagonize Tic’s behavior, or attempt to debunk any of his outlandish claims. She simply asks, “Where did my ‘lovely brother’ run off to?” She begins to survey the group's surroundings much better having been included in the conversation. She unravels her sleeves, finally aware of how unkept she must look to the four her attention is directed too, let alone the people of the small village.

“He left a few minutes into our ‘grand tour’… Some tour guide—” Tic began irritation rising throughout his words.

George cleared his throat.

“We—Me and Uncle George—decided it was best to wait along here for the two of you.” Tic looked to Leti than Ruby. “Before we decided to do anything else… See how you two turned out.”

Christina smiles. “And, as you can see, still in pristine condition, as promised.” She pauses, only to frown as Tic’s previous statement, of her brother, ruminates inside her head. “Why exactly—did he leave?”

“Someone, from your house appeared. Said, something about your father needing to speak to him.” George answers to keep Tic from digging anymore into the hole he may or may not have started for himself.

Watching Ruby her thoughts linger a second before recognizing the others. “If that’s the case. Unfortunately, I should be on my way as well… Feel free to continue looking around.” Christina maintains a focus on Ruby and Leti but still acknowledges Tic and George. “If anyone is not on their best behavior. Let me know, and I will make sure to deal with each accordingly.” She smiles. “I’ll see you all back at the house later.”

They watch as Christina turns on her heels up the trail-road in the direction of the ostentatious house. Then once convinced that she, like the other white people around them, are out of earshot. Tic begins again as if Christina has never spoken with them. “Can you ex—”

A loud piercing whistle breaks through the soft background sounds of the day. Leti and George have growing looks of confusion. Ruby does her best to maintain a look of loss in the chaos, all the while knowing that is the exact whistle sound they heard from the night before. Tic, poor Tic, pivots quickly to his left then to his right, his body reacting as if the enemy were only inches away and ready to strike.

“That’s the whistle, the one that called off the monsters!”

He runs, swiveling through fences, dodging passersby, never touching one.

There is a look that passes between the three. Ruby, Leti, and George all want to believe Tic. This might be the first time that Ruby would be willing to side with Tic on something without a long protest beforehand. But then again, this time there’s a paranoia that not even shell-shock could explain away. There is a look in Tic’s eyes, the slightest flicker, that Ruby knows she has seen in Christina’s and feels has taken place inside her very own, that crossed during his outburst. They had to find a way to calm him down before all this ‘hospitality’ shown to them backfired.

Leti looks at Ruby, a silent question passes, Ruby lifts her skirt barely an inch holding it tight to her right thigh side. She begins to run alongside Leti doing her best to keep an eye on Tic as he makes his way to a large stone tower. George not far behind the women.

The whistle hales again. This time what feels like inches away from their faces as they catch up to Tic. The reality, the woman, a familiar woman at least to Ruby, stood feet away. The whistle sits between her lips, at the ready. Leashes in hand, the woman holds off two eerily familiar German Shepherds. Both dogs growl out barks bearing freshly brushed white fangs.

“Hey! You! Were you in the woods last night?” Tic asks.

The woman backs away, she is about to speak only to be interrupted by forcefully pointing Tic.

“What’s that whistle for?” Tic asks again with more force.

Leti steps into his line of sight. “Tic, stop!” She desperately pushes Tic back putting herself between the much taller man and woman with dogs. Seeing this, Ruby decides to take hold of Tic’s right arm helping to hank him back. George grabs ahold of his left shoulder.

“Not the dogs!” Tic answers his question still not letting the grounds woman speak a word. The dogs do not continue to slow down either their barking attracting the attention of some onlookers.

“Tic!” both Leti and Ruby scream together. Ruby keeping a close eye on the woman she knew as Hilary.

Ruby steps out from behind Tic. “Answer the question! What’s that whistle really for?” Finally, with the upper hand, Leti shoves Tic back his questions following with him. Ruby’s hands up in a failed attempt to help her sister, corral Tic.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” interjects George. Leti can be heard from behind screaming at Tic to stop. “Please call them dogs off,” his tone stronger.

The woman continues to watch the group. Ruby can see a sparkle in her eye, a sparkle that makes her cringe inwardly, she cannot believe she wore this woman’s skin willingly. Her thoughts broken as the woman begins to speak. “—that need to be on a leash.”

Finally, calm Tic’s hands rest at his hips, Leti breathing deep. Ruby is the one to speak now. “We’re guests of the Braithwhite siblings!”

Ruby watches the woman release the dogs and as if on cue they sit, calm their tongues lulling as the last few minutes had never happened. She, Leti, Tic, and George all stand a bit taller as they watch the woman’s reaction.

“You don’t look the type to be the Braithwhites’ guests.” She eyes them up and down.

George takes a step forward his arm outstretched in the direction of the large tower. “Are you the sheriff?” The woman begins to laugh thinking the man has gone mad himself now. George chooses to ignore the reaction and continues with his questions. “It’s the only stone building I’ve seen in this entire village. It has to be the jail, right?”

She laughs, a hearty laugh, smile on her face. “We get animals coming to the village. Break into the cottages.” She swings her whole body back in the direction of the tower tugging at the dogs to follow. Taking a keyring from her belt, she reaches for the wooden door unlocks it exposing its contents for the others to see.

Rushing inside the dogs seem to almost lunge towards the pile of pig and other animal insides littered about the concrete floor.

“I’ve heard about Grizzlies being found in this area,” George comments with a hint of hesitation and the slightest bit of disgust on his face.

Ruby stands defiantly behind Leti, her way of protecting her sister, she can see the hanging meat. Pigs mostly, the wet gory piles of their inside thankfully only silhouettes in the back. She watches ‘Hilary’ turn her attention to George once more, that smile on her face. The same smile she had given from time to time. She begins again to secretly cringe. Ruby is standing far enough away that George and ‘Hilary’s’ normal volumed conversation sounds like whispers, and judging from the looks of Leti and Tic, it is a conversation not worth repeating. So, she simply notes to herself, this time around she is going to refuse to set foot in the skin of this white woman ever again.

George turns back to the group, stepping his way down the stairs.

“I suggest, you make your way back up to the lodge.” She steps into the room. “You don’t want to miss dinner.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Georges states.

The woman slams the door in their faces.

They heed the woman’s ‘advice’ and turn back towards the same dirt-trail Christina turned back on earlier during the late afternoon. Walking side by side, Ruby and George at the ends, Leti and Tic in the middle, they are huddled as close as possible without drawing attention to themselves. Each is speaking at a loud whisper.

George pulls in closer answering the unasked question. “That silo has a stone foundation, which means a dungeon-like basement.”

“And all that barking,” starts Ruby.

“You wouldn’t be able to hear someone if they were screaming for help,” Leti finishes.

There is a minute of silence as Tic allows himself to contemplate this new information. “And that has to be where they’re keeping Pop.”

If asked how long they had been walking the forest, neither could exactly tell you. What they could say however was the second all four stepped into the tree line. It was like the day had shut itself off. No light could be seen for miles. It was nowhere near as dark as it had been the other night, some luminance breaking through the trees. Even if one really-really tried to squint they could maybe make out a sun that looked like a hazy egg yolk.

Their strides were long and their steps heavy to the ground. Willpower courses through each giving them the wherewithal needed to maintain their speed. Two conversions rebound from person to person as they continue their swift walk. George realizing that the woods they each step through were the woods Tic’s mother used to speak to him about. This new revelation stops the group in their tracks, causing both Tic and Ruby to lose their focus.

Once again, and at this point Ruby was sure she had lost count, she felt the air begin to thicken and an invisible static charge begins to move. There is a faint rustle to the leaves it pulls towards the charge. Sounding faster and faster, until large piles of leaves begin to maneuver closer like a shark striking at its prey. The beasts erupt from the ground, there is a gurgling almost insect-like sound coming from the mandibles their circular mouths. A wet swash of a sound begins to surround them as the group creates an oblong clump as their backs begin to hit one another. Each creature inches closer and closer arms outstretched with claws akin to that of the dinosaurs.

Mouths agape with only soundless screams escaping everyone too far gone in their terror to create any sort of audible dismay. They begin to rotate counterclockwise only to shift to clockwise as they watch the three large dead-white slime-covered creatures close in on them.

A whistle sounds.

The creatures stop disoriented enough not to notice Christina trot towards the group whistle in hand. One creature after the other begins to scatter quickly, two diving back into the ground, the other running off into the distance only to leap into the treetops.

She wears a red riding cloak. Ruby cannot help but wonder if this choice in clothing is meant to be ironic.

“Escort the younger Mr. Freeman to my father’s lab, and make sure our other guests stay in their rooms.” Christina looks down at Leti, Tic, and George, her gaze lingering a second too long in the direction of Ruby yet again. She swiftly turns her horse in the direction she came and is off without another word.

Ruby watches ‘Hilary’ with her two dogs’ eyes the group of them again, she too turns in the direction from which Christina came.

“Why are we covered in dirt,” askes George a there is a note of fear to his voice that none of the other adults have heard before.

Leti looks down at herself and over to Ruby’s filthy clothes. “It happened again didn’t it?”

Tic about to answer is interrupted instantaneously by ‘Hilary’ “Shut it! Let’s move!”

Ruby remains quiet adverting her eyes from Tic as the group follows behind ‘Hilary’.

Only Christina seems to notice as ‘Hilary’ points in their general direction before shifting out of the way and back down the long stone corridor. She also is the only one to see as Tic creeps slowly into the room, a look of confusion, horror, and pain pass along the young man’s face as he registers what exactly is happening to the man on the table as the hooded figure continues to slice him open. She turns to the large crystal decanter, pours a pale whiskey into a glass, makes direct eye contact with Tic, and downs her drink in one gulp. She ends the display with a long-drawn-out eye-roll in the direction of the man on the table.

“He’s darker than I expected,” Samuel no regard for any proper decorum. He begins to rotate and roll himself from atop the table groaning every so often.

Christina rushes to Samuel’s aid, the dutiful daughter she is. “Let me help you,” her father swats her hand to the side. She returns to her previous spot, reopening her book.

“He’s fine.” Caleb chastises, from the corner of what can only be described as a lab showing little interest in what is playing out before him between his father, sister, and cousin.

Samuel holding his stitched side wobbles his way towards a painting that has caught Tic’s eye. He smiles. “This here is one of my favorite paintings.” Caleb can be seen swishing about liquids in jars eyeing their contents mouthing along with his father, mocking his attempted monologue. “The artist Josef Tannhauser, entitled it “Genesis 2:19. Are either of you familiar with the verse?” Samuel asks talking to only Tic and Caleb.

Neither man responds, Christina rolls her eyes, looks up from her book. She knows very well who is meant to respond to the start of this speech. She begins. “And, out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them,” She takes the slightest of pauses her tone beginning to change finally continuing with the slightest bit of mockery. “And whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof.”

Caleb can be seen in the background by both Christina and Tic laughing heavy. This constant need for Christina to recite the bible a permanent fixture in this house.

Continuing to stare in ‘aw’ at the painting before him Samuel has begun to cover his bare chest with the newly laundered shirt one of the housemaids had set aside for Christina to bring in. “In this painting’s conception, this act of naming is more than just a picking of labels.” He continues to speak to Tic without laying one eye on him in acknowledgment. However, he does watch as Caleb makes his way towards the rest of them. “Adam is sharing in the creation, assigning each creature its final form and its station in the hierarchy of nature.” He looks at Caleb with a stern shape to his brow. “What does that mean—” he pauses as if readying himself to ask his son a question, but instead he turns in the direction of his daughter. Who is ideally shifting from page to page in her book, no look of care on her face at all for this part of her daily interactions with her father. “—Christina? What did Adam do?”

Tic watches as Caleb does nothing to help Christina along. He simply stands there expecting an answer just like his father. She does nothing simply taps at the page of her book, prepared to push this as far as she could take it.

“He put everything in its place,” answers Tic.

Samuel sighs. Had this been a decade or two ago, such disrespectful behavior would have gotten Christina the switch or much-much worse, but with their guest present a simple sigh is all she receives.

He flips his collar and begins to straighten his cuffs. Again, neither blonde man recognizing Christina’s ‘expected’ movements in the background as she grabs hold of two long tubular pieces of rubbery plastic. “At the dawn of time everything was where and as it should be… from God to man to woman, down to the lowliest writhing creature.” He shifts his suspenders over each shoulder, then turns to his left arms held out and elbows each bent at a ninety-degree angle. Christina walks over this time and begins to shove the rubbery plastic over her father’s forearms. “It was Nirvana.”

Christina began to tie each rubber shield to his arm. All be it, a tad harsher than usual as she eyes Tic. “Then that stupid, troublemaking bitch Eve brought entropy and death.” She waves her hand mimicking the mannerisms of a past tirade of her father’s. “What was an elegant hierarchy becoming a mess of tribes and nations.” She claps her hands together looking through her father and towards her brother now. “Of course, it didn’t happen that way, Atticus. Biblical literalism is for the simple.” She side steps to the table Tic is standing against and rests herself against it making eye contact with her father and brother. “But I’m sure everyone in this room is aware of that.” She keenly watches her brother.

Samuel contains his laughter, shifting his shoulders to stand tall. “It’s still a useful parable for both of you.” He grabs his glasses.

“And your God? In this useful parable,” asks Tic.

He huffs, eyes trained on Tic. “I’m Adam. And I’ve worked an exceptionally long time.” Never noticing as his both his children roll their eyes at his statement of grandeur. “My children seem to believe you can help in my aims, but as you can see there is little some of us can agree on.”

Finally sic of this game Tic speaks up. “Then why not just tell me how I can get to my father? And I’ll leave you and the rest of—”

Both Samuel and Caleb have turned their backs to Christina and Tic now. Sitting at the lab-ready to work. “I don’t want to see him again until the ceremony at dawn.”

Christina rises from her seat motions with her head that they should leave through the way he came in.

The two walked in silence. It was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, it was just what it was silence. Christina does not hide the odd delight she has in walking down the hall with Tic. Growing up in this place, never having a proper childhood friend outside of her brother. She reveled in moments like these even if they made her current companion uncomfortable.

“You have to have questions?”

“What for? None of the other ones I’ve asked have been answered. Not by your father—or what’s the other guy? He your boyfriend?”

“William. And yes, he’s a boy and sometimes a friend.” She cannot help but be amused when answering these sets of questions. Explaining William to those unaware of the circumstances is always fun in some way shape or form. “My father may have looked frail upstairs, but he along with the rest of the members arriving, and even my brother at times, can be very dangerous enemies to have.”

The two cousins one-off each other for a moment before Christina continues to speak again. “You should think about making friends. Not all us white folks are out to get you.”

“I have enough friends.”

“Are you sure about that?

Tic looks at her, he is finished. He walks past her ignoring the fact that she has been casually resting her back against the outer door frame of his assigned bedroom.

“Your, Uncle, Leti, and her sister, seem to think you lost your marbles in the war.” She smiles attempting to verbally play with Tic the way she plays with her brother.

“That’s because you or your brother—” he pauses “—you know what I bet it was the both of you, who did something.”

Tic walks past her into the room.

“Did something? How vague.” She mocks him with shock.

He turns around a hands-on display. “It’s a spell.” He waves them about briefly. “It’s a spell. Seems the KKK aren’t just calling themselves grand wizards anymore.”

Christina now looks visibly insulted for the first time in all their interactions with one another. “My father—brother and their associates would—never—fraternize with the Klan. They’re too poor.” She bares herself and tones her voice down. “And that spell wasn’t specifically for your companions rather, anyone who encounters my brother’s little guard dogs and lives to tell about it.” She finishes and engages with Tic in his stare down.

“Fine. Do you want to be friends? That can’t just be done with promises, that’s going to take actions.”

“And getting you out of Simmonsville, as well as last night, wasn’t enough?”

“We’re in trouble now.” He is now leaning against the bedroom’s door frame from the other side.

“I’ can’t take you to your father. That’s the one thing I can’t do.”

“Then remove the spell. On Leti, Ruby, and my uncle… friend.”

Christina rolls not just her eyes but her head as well. Tic rolls his in retaliation and turns deeper into the room. She looks down the hallway toward the three other doors. She lifts her hand and gives it a simple wave.

“Done.”

Ruby is sitting atop the bed. When the memories come rushing through. She like the others can be heard screaming briefly through their doors. Every little detail of those creatures becoming as clear as what she sees in front of her now. Then to add insult to injury, Ruby can put two and two together, deducing that the creature she and Leti watched Christina pull out from inside that cow was one of those creatures in an infant stage.

The loud screaming can be heard from either side of the hall. To her credit, Christina does have a look of genuine remorse across her face for a second. She looks down at her hands but does not look back up until Tic tries and fails to exit his room stopped by an invisible barrier. He notices the magic symbols along with the door. With a twist to her head, the door to Tic’s room swings shut. She takes a deep breath, pausing for a moment to rub at the tickle at the back of her neck as she passes the door to Ruby’s room. It was time to get ready for the evening’s events, and her father would want her to look as innocent and prim as possible.

Ruby now on her feet, could have sworn she had heard Christina and Tic talking outside in the hall. Had that argument lead to the spell being lifted. God, she wished she could have seen what had transpired between the two. With nothing to do and nowhere to go, Ruby walked in the direction of the window ledge. There was no knock, but she did here as the door began to open and quickly shut.

“What on earth are you doing here!” It’s the hushed whisper of Christina? She begins to turn, but Christina grabs her hands and turns her back, back towards the door. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in Chicago getting ready for that interview at Marshall Fields.” She smiles that genuine Christina smile, that Ruby’s sure no one, except her has ever seen.

Ruby can only gawk. How does Christina suddenly remember who she is let alone know about what she was preparing to do back in Chicago? Then, right as she readies herself to ask that very question. The door to her room opens suddenly and abruptly closes. A lean masculine hand rests atop her shoulder, the other at the nape of her back.

“You know, Ruby, she’s not wrong. You really shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe.” This voice belonged to William, but how? How was all of this—magic. Of course, this had to be magic, Christina and William could not be separate from one another. Unless William, had not died yet? No, Christina said, well her Christina, had told her William had died months before she started to exact her plan in becoming immortal.

William steps over, so, now both he and Christina were staring at her simultaneously. “I think she’s starting to realize that magic is at play here.” He smiles, turning his attention briefly to Christina.

“I know, look at her, she’s even beginning to wonder how she knows about the two us—you know.” She crosses her fingers together a visual representation of her and Williams link to one another.

Ruby backs away from the two impossibly blondes. She then quickly turns her head in the direction of the door then back to her front. Christina and William still stood there together side by side. She holds her head. “How?”

“How are we what, how are we the same person, or how are we both here at the same time?” asks Christina. Ruby watches as she reaches for the back of her neck. She shuts her eyes briefly as she lets the feel of the thin long fingers graze the back of her neck. Where the itch would always start.

She opens her eyes with a start. “That’s not my question. My question is how do the two of you know everything I’m going to ask before I even begin to ask it.” Ruby watches William smile, his mischievous smile. “You’re—you’re not Christina and William. Christina, she doesn’t know that I know about the two of you. The two of you… you must be magic—magic that’s playing with my head.” Ruby backs up to sit atop the bed again. “Because the way the two of you are talking… you’re the Christina and William that linger in the back of my head. You can only know what I know…”

Christina watches the display from mirror to mirror as she has so many times before now, and like each time, she finds the whole display pointless and vulgar. She sips at the wine and wonders how long she will stay aware before pulled back into the dark void. Christina could have sworn she had seen someone looking at her through the eyes of another, as well, but who?

She stops at Ruby’s mirror. Everyone has taken more to Atticus and Leti’s views. The action and female distress more entertaining than the black woman who seems to be having a long-drawn-out conversation with a white man and woman. A white man and woman who looks identical to her and William. What on earth. She would spit, but she gulps loud setting her glass on the tray that walks by. Christina walks up to the mirror touches the heads of both white figures and begins to whisper the Words of Adam as quickly and quietly as possible. Their faces blur—her faces blur. She longs to know what is being said between the three of them, but that is for later. Right now, she must keep this from her father and his guests.

Caleb spots her antics. Whatever ‘witty’ retort at his lips vanishes when he sees the images in the mirror. “What is happening?” asks him with a harsh-whispered-tone through gritted teeth. “How is she talking to us?!”

“Do not blame this on me,” Christina whispers back with equal intensity. “This was your vulgar idea. To appease father and his guests.” She waves her hand harshly, breaking her concentration briefly, luckily the blurring faces continue to stay that, blurred.

Caleb does not seem content with her explanation but unwilling to expose himself or Christina. His—their plan is so close to being accomplished. He lifts his wine glass to his lips twitching his ring and pinky fingers to help his sister manipulate the images of the two blonde individuals from the view of his father and fellow lodge members.

There is a heavy click from the large clock overhang from above. It is ten minutes to the siren chimes. The siblings look at one another. “Go, we are too close. We can’t stop now. Go, I’ll do my best to keep the images unreadable. Go.” His voice not nearly as stern as he believes it to be.

Christina rolls her eyes. Pathetic and good riddance, Caleb is lucky he never made past age three within her world because if this man was to be her older brother… Her ordeal with Atticus would have transpired very differently. There is a pause in her step as Christina turns to an abandoned corridor of the house. She looks at her ring, the silver base is built up slightly taller than the average ring, what could be a hollow center being hidden by intricate silver filigree. Her thumb shifts the large jewel to the side revealing a small bead.

She flicks her hand in her direction, allowing the red bead into her mouth. Christina bites down braking free the smallest amount of viscous liquid. She tastes the copper from the blood. She never thought it possible, but here she was becoming jealous of herself. How she has been able to develop such a streamlined process for the metamorphosis. Not only was it easier to hide from the public eye, but the actual process felt less painful. Christina eyes herself in a far-off mirror. Her face shifts from her smooth feminine squared heart-shape to a stronger masculine longer rectangular-shape. She finds the hidden set of clothes in the stair’s storage. Hiding her outfit in the process. Christina straights her shoulders and makes her way to the guest quarters.

She rounds the staircase and watches their group of guests converse with one another. They are all shaken. The man Atticus has referred to as Uncle George hides his unease the best while Atticus looks stressed. Leti is hiding genuine distress, and Ruby, the most intriguing of the four—is doing her best to hide… Christina continues to walk towards them, and it hits her. Ruby knows, somehow Ruby knew exactly what was happening at this very moment. She takes a mental note when the time allows, she must speak to Ruby alone, one-on-one, could this be her Ruby? The last they had made brief contact with one another neither realized it until it was too late.

Christina—William clears his throat.

“I hope you all had a nice rest. Dinner will be served in 15 minutes.” He steps forward running his hand along his front. “The attire is black tie only, and unfortunately, Miss Baptiste, Miss Lewis, it is also men only. However, it is a beautiful night to dine on the veranda. I will return shortly to provide escort.”

William turns to leave Ruby, Leti, Tic, and George to their own devices. They remain silent, a wordless agreement between the four to go along with their supper arrangements is hashed.

“You all okay?” asks George.

“What did they make you see?” asks Tic, he still grips at his fingers looking down at his feet.

“Does it matter? You are a good boy, don’t you ever let them question yourself.” He grabs hold of Tic’s shoulder, Tic nods in silent agreement. “That’s how they’ll win.” George looks to Ruby and Leti then. “They want to make us crazy—make us scared, but Letitia fucking Lewis and her big sister Ruby Baptiste don’t get scared.” Ruby and Leti smiled at George.

“Yes sir,” both women answer with small smiles on their lips.

George brings them closers to him. “Now I’ve come across something that just might get us out of here.”

\---

Ruby and Leti are inside for the evening. The table is adorned with roasted chicken, a vegetable medley, similar rolls from before, and a thin aroma filled broth. The woman sits quietly their minds still silently processing their private experiences in their rooms. Ruby breaks the quiet, her hand reaching for the salt and paper. Leti sees and lifts the shakers for her sister.

“You’re sure y’er okay?” asks Ruby. She shakes the seasoning into the broth one-two-three times, then hands them back to Leti. “I saw the way you were looking at Tic.”

Leti begins the same process as Ruby seasoning her broth one-two-three times and sets the shakers back in their spots. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Ruby does not push it. She has nothing to say. Remembering her first experience with magic being just as trauma-inducing. “This broth is much better than that bland squash soup they tried on us earlier today.” Leti nods in agreement. “We need to keep our eyes and ears ready for anything those two might try.”

“I trust them,” states Leti.

“I trust them… Well if I’m honest, I trust George more than Tic, but it is Tic’s Dad… I wouldn’t think too rationally if something were to happen to you.”

“You wouldn’t?” Leti seems genuinely shocked.

“Of course, you’re my sister. You drive me crazy and can have dicey choices when it comes to men. But you’re my sister, Leti.”

“I have bad choices in men?” Leti’s eyebrow is rising a smirk on her face. “I saw you making eyes at William. He’s a white boy.”

“Nia has a white boy,” Ruby fires back, no anger in her voice. This is simply the talk of sisters.

“Fear enough, he could be Christina’s boyfriend.”

Ruby wants to laugh in Leti’s face if only she knew the truth. She stays silent. “It’s just looks, Leti.”

A man in a clean suit, his jacket still formal but shorter than the length from the man who served their group during lunch. His hands were clasped behind his back he stood silently waiting for either woman to ask for his help. Then suddenly a younger man in a similar wardrobe rushed to his side and began to whisper.

“Which one?” He asked.

The younger man pauses mouth slightly open looking intently at Ruby and Leti. He chooses not to answer back, motioning with his head and eyes in the direction of Ruby. Neither woman could tell you if his choice of silent interaction was better or worse.

Their assigned help for this evening meal clears his throat. He turns his attention to Ruby. “Miss Babtiste?” Ruby nods. “Miss Braithwhite would like to speak to you. She is currently at the Stables. The building beside the garage.” He motions to help Ruby out of her chair.

“Told you.” Leti continues to eat her meal. “Let me know how this goes.”

“Told me what? There’s nothing to tell.”

A hand snakes its way around Ruby’s neck, gripping around her jaw covering her mouth. Ruby’s eyes bulge. Is this how it ends? Was this all it took? A simple false invitation from Christina to talk in private. Strong arms pull her back. She hits a solid lean chest. She wants to scream.

“Shhh… Shh! Ruby—Ruby! It’s me! Ruby, it’s me, Christina!” The voice is never higher than a whisper, strong, commanding, and very masculine. Ruby let her capture twirl her around, coming face-to-face with piercing blue eyes. Blue eyes covered in ice, the eyes her Christina Braithwhite would use, to look at her, when she was under the mask of William.


End file.
